Police: Slave case an issue of 'psychological control'

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland, of the Metropolitan Police, says the investigation into allegations of slavery at a house in London involves allegations of "physical, psychological and mental abuse over a period of time" 3:13PM GMT 22 Nov 2013

Police announced yesterday that three "traumatised women" kept as slaves were freed after spending three decades imprisoned against their will in a city home.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland said the whole of the human trafficking unit - 37 officers - are now working on this investigation.

Specially-trained officers are working with the women to try to understand their lives over the last 30 years or more, he said.

DI Hyland said the women are in the care of a specialist non-governmental organisation.

"Whilst we do not believe that they have been subjected to sexual abuse, we know that there has been physical abuse, described as beatings.

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"However there is nothing to suggest that the suspects were violent to others outside of the address," he said.

DI Hyland said the police search of the address in south London took 12 hours, and said they seized 55 bags of evidence amounting to in excess of 2,500 exhibits.

Source: ITN and PA

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Charity head: London slave women rescue 'miraculous'

Aneeta Prem says that when Freedom Charity was contacted for help by one of the victims she realised was "a one-chance call to make a difference". 6:41PM GMT 21 Nov 2013

Three "traumatised women" were kept as slaves have been freed after spending three decades imprisoned against their will in a city home, police said.

A 30-year-old British woman, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 69-year-old Malaysian woman are believed to have walked to their freedom from a property in south London after media coverage on forced marriages gave them the courage to contact a support charity.

Two people in their 60s have been arrested at the home this morning as part of the investigation into slavery and domestic servitude, Scotland Yard said.

It followed a call to police last month, from a charity on behalf of one of the alleged captives, who said she had been held captive for more than 30 years.

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Freedom Charity, which aims to advise and support victims of forced marriages or honour-based violence, got in touch after they received a call following television coverage on forced marriages.

Aneeta Prem, Freedom Charity founder, said the women were very distressed when they were rescued but also very relieved to be free.

She said "When they contacted the charity it was very clear it was a once chance call to make a difference. They basically told us they were being held and they needed support to come out of a very difficult situation."

She added that the charity felt "very humbled" that they were able to assist in "something so miraculous".

Source: ITN and PA

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Slave women victims 'relieved' to be free, says Freedom Charity founder Aneeta Prem

Founder of Freedom Charity Aneeta Prem says the three rescued alleged slavery victims are "quite traumatised" but "very relieved to be out", adding that she thinks it is going to be "a very long journey" for the three women 11:21AM GMT 22 Nov 2013

Follow our live blog on the latest in the slavery case

Three women alleged to have been held as slaves for 30 years have thanked the founder of the charity which helped rescue them for "saving their lives".

Aneeta Prem, founder of the Freedom Charity, told ITV's Daybreak programme she met the three women yesterday.

She said: "They're quite traumatised ... but they're very relieved to be out.

"When I met them, it was a very humbling experience. They all threw their arms around me, and apart from crying enormously, they thanked the charity for the work Freedom had done in saving their lives."

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The women were rescued from a house in Lambeth in south London last month after one of them saw Ms Prem on TV and contacted her charity for help.

Ms Prem told Daybreak that it would be "a very long journey" to rehabilitate the women, one of whom is believed to have been imprisoned for her entire life.

She said: "If you have spent your entire life in captivity and know nothing different, then even the smallest freedoms, the smallest things, you have no knowledge of.

"It's going to be a difficult process. Bear in mind these ladies have left with absolutely nothing at all. The charity is going to have to try and help and support them through this difficulty journey."

Scotland Yard confirmed a couple in their 60s were arrested at the house and bailed last night as part of an investigation into slavery and domestic servitude.

The victims - a 30-year-old British woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 69-year-old Malaysian woman - are being looked after in a safe location.

The Irish woman contacted Freedom on October 18 to say she had been held against her will for more than 30 years, and that two others were held with her.

She and the British woman met charity workers and police on October 25 before returning to the address and rescuing the Malaysian woman.

Sources: ITN/PA

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South London slave investigation: latest updates

Investigations continue following the rescue of 69-year-old Malaysian woman, 57-year-old Irish woman and 30-year-old British woman by Met Police after being held captive for 30 years

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